Connect with us

Finance

4 AI terms Nvidia investors should know

Published

on

4 AI terms Nvidia investors should know

Despite some volatility in the stock market so far in August, Nvidia stock (NVDA) remains up over 150% this year.

Driving the stock is Nvidia’s role in supplying chips to major tech giants like Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), and Microsoft (MSFT) that are crucial for artificial intelligence technology amid the broader generative AI boom.

Over a third of the S&P 500 (^GSPC) market cap gains in the first half of 2024 could be attributed to Nvidia. For some investors, the concentration of gains in a few stocks such as Nvidia seems risky. It was a point that was underlined earlier this month by a stock rout that briefly pushed the volatility index (^VIX) above 60 and shares of Nvidia down by as much as 10%.

Stocks ended up recovering, but the period offered a reminder to investors that they could seek AI opportunities elsewhere.

For those looking to gain an edge and diversify their tech holdings, understanding AI’s core technology and terminology is essential.

Advertisement

Here’s a breakdown of a few of the terms you need to know to invest in the AI boom:

Inference

Inference is AI’s moment of truth. It’s when an AI model like ChatGPT generates an answer to a prompt based on its previous training and learning. The quality of an AI system’s inference relies heavily on its underlying technology stack, including the powerful chips that drive it.

FILE - President and CEO of Nvidia Corporation Jensen Huang delivers a speech during the Computex 2024 exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan, June 2, 2024. A rebound for Nvidia on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, is helping keep U.S. indexes close to their records Tuesday. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

President and CEO of Nvidia Corporation Jensen Huang delivers a speech during the Computex 2024 exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan, on June 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Compute

Compute power is the driving force behind an AI system’s success, similar to how horsepower propels a car. The greater the compute power, the more efficient and faster the inference process becomes.

Advertisement

Processing power, memory, and storage all fuel compute power, and chipmakers tend to focus on increased compute power for new chip releases because improvements in compute power with each chip generation could allow companies to charge more, which typically bodes well for future profit margins.

GPUs

Graphics processing units, or GPUs, are advanced and expensive chips that power AI. Their quality can help determine the speed of AI computations. Nvidia, which began working on GPUs in the ’90s, owns over 80% of the GPU market and mentioned the term 19 times in its first quarter earnings presentation. Nvidia’s GPUs have increased AI inference performance by a thousand times over the last decade.

Hyperscalers

Big Tech companies like Microsoft, Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Meta (META), and Amazon are considered hyperscalers, or those capable of rapidly scaling AI. With products and services such as Microsoft’s Copilot, Alphabet’s Gemini, and Meta’s Llama, these companies are significant both as consumers of AI chips and competitors to chipmakers.

Advertisement

Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

StockStory aims to help individual investors beat the market.StockStory aims to help individual investors beat the market.

StockStory aims to help individual investors beat the market.

Finance

BofA revises Harley-Davidson stock price after latest announcement

Published

on

BofA revises Harley-Davidson stock price after latest announcement

Harley-Davidson’s new CEO wants to transform how people think about the iconic motorcycle brand, so the company is trying something different.

This week, Harley announced a new strategy that focuses on lower-priced bikes, rather than relying on older, more affluent customers to buy its higher-margin touring models.

“Back to the Bricks builds on our core strengths and competitive advantages, harnessing the passion of our riders to deliver profitable growth for the Company and both our dealers and shareholders,” Harley CEO Artie Starrs said this week. “As we drive towards this new phase of growth, we remain committed to the craftsmanship and dedication that define our brand.”

Entry-level Harley-Davidsons cost about $13,000, while the higher-end Adventure Touring models average about $23,250, and the Premium Range &CVO models cost about $38,500, according to Reuters.

Harley’s new strategy targets a core profit of over $350 million from its motorcycle business by 2027 and over $150 million in cost reductions.

Advertisement

To kick off the new strategy, Harley is introducing Sprint, a new entry-level model powered by a smaller 440cc engine, later in the year.

Harley-Davidson is going after a younger demographic with its new strategy. Photo by Raivo Sarelainens on Getty Images

What is Harley-Davidson’s “Back to the Bricks” strategy?

Harley’s new strategy relies on more than just pushing buyers toward cheaper vehicles to increase volume. The 123-year-old company has a set of five pillars on which it is building its future.

Harley-Davidson “Back to the Bricks” 5-point plan

  • Deep appreciation of Harley-Davidson’s competitive advantages and legacy: The Company’s iconic brand, diversified and powerful revenue channels, and best-in-class dealer network provide a powerful foundation for growth.

  • Renewed commitment to exclusive dealer network to drive enterprise profitability: Harley-Davidson’s dealers are a competitive advantage. The Company is planning actions to enable dealers to double profitability in 2026 and then double it again by 2029.

  • Immediate actions to recapture share in areas where Harley-Davidson has right to win: Harley-Davidson has strong legacy equity in existing markets including new motorcycles, used motorcycles, Parts & Accessories, and Apparel & Licensing. The Company’s new strategy is focused on positioning the Company to regain share and drive meaningful volume growth in categories where it benefits from credibility, scale, and deep rider connection.

  • Strong financial position with a path to stronger free cash flow and EBITDA margin: Cost and restructuring actions already underway support a path to stronger free cash flow and EBITDA margin over time.

  • Bolstered management team with balance of fresh perspectives and institutional knowledge: Harley-Davidson has made a number of leadership appointments that support the Company as it leverages its innate strengths.

Continue Reading

Finance

What is Considered a Good Dividend Stock? 2 Financial Stocks That Fit the Bill

Published

on

What is Considered a Good Dividend Stock? 2 Financial Stocks That Fit the Bill
Source: Getty Images

Written by Jitendra Parashar at The Motley Fool Canada

Dividend investing can be one of the simplest ways to build long-term wealth while creating a steady stream of passive income. But in my opinion, a good dividend stock is about much more than just a high yield. Beyond dividend yield, investors should also look for companies with durable businesses, reliable cash flows, and a history of rewarding shareholders consistently over time.

That’s exactly why many investors turn to financial stocks. Banks and asset managers often generate recurring earnings through lending, investing, and wealth management activities, allowing them to support stable dividend payments even during uncertain market conditions.

Two Canadian financial stocks that stand out right now are AGF Management (TSX:AGF.B) and Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD). Both companies offer attractive dividends backed by solid financial performance and long-term growth strategies. In this article, I’ll explain why these two financial stocks could be worth considering for income-focused investors right now.

AGF Management stock continues to reward shareholders

AGF Management is a Toronto-based asset manager with businesses across investments, private markets, and wealth management. Through these divisions, the company offers equity, fixed income, alternative, and multi-asset investment strategies to retail, institutional, and private wealth clients.

Advertisement

Following a 59% rally over the last 12 months, AGF stock currently trades at $16.67 per share with a market cap of roughly $1.1 billion. At current levels, the stock offers a quarterly dividend yield of 3.3%.

One reason behind AGF’s strong recent performance is its increasingly diversified business model. The company has expanded its investment capabilities and broadened its geographic reach, helping it perform well across varying market environments.

In the first quarter of its fiscal 2026 (ended in February), AGF posted free cash flow of $36 million, up 14% year over year (YoY), driven mainly by higher management, advisory, and administration fees. These fees climbed to $92.5 million as demand for the company’s investment offerings strengthened.

AGF has also been focusing on expanding its alternative investment business and introducing new investment products. With strong cash generation and growing demand for alternative investments, AGF Management looks well-positioned to continue rewarding investors over the long term.

TD Bank stock remains a dependable dividend giant

Toronto-Dominion Bank, or TD Bank, is one of North America’s largest banks, serving millions of customers through its Canadian banking, U.S. retail banking, wealth management and insurance, and wholesale banking operations.

Advertisement

Following a 70% jump over the last year, TD stock currently trades at $148.14 per share and carries a massive market cap of $247 billion. It’s also continuing to provide investors with a quarterly dividend yield of 3%.

TD’s latest results show why it remains a dependable dividend stock. In the February 2026 quarter, the bank’s reported net income jumped 45% YoY to $4 billion, while adjusted earnings rose 16% to a record $4.2 billion.

Similarly, the bank’s Canadian personal and commercial banking segment delivered record revenue and earnings with the help of higher loan and deposit volumes. Meanwhile, its wealth management and insurance business also posted record earnings, while wholesale banking benefited from strong trading and fee income growth.

Notably, TD ended the quarter with a strong Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 14.5%, giving it a solid capital cushion. While the bank continues to spend on U.S. anti-money-laundering remediation and control improvements, its strong earnings base, large customer network, and diversified operations continue to support its dividends.

Advertisement

The post What is Considered a Good Dividend Stock? 2 Financial Stocks That Fit the Bill appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

Should you invest $1,000 in Agf Management right now?

Before you buy stock in Agf Management, consider this:

The Motley Fool Canada team has identified what they believe are the top 10 TSX stocks for 2026… and Agf Management wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could potentially produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider MercadoLibre, which we first recommended on January 8, 2014 … if you invested $1,000 in the “eBay of Latin America” at the time of our recommendation, you’d have over $18,000!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor Canada’s total average return is 94%* – a market-crushing outperformance compared to 85%* for the S&P/TSX Composite Index. Don’t miss out on our top 10 stocks, available when you join our mailing list!

Advertisement

Get the 10 stocks instantly

* Returns as of April 20th, 2026

More reading

Fool contributor Jitendra Parashar has positions in Toronto-Dominion Bank. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

2026

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Finance

UK watchdog says car finance legal challenge hearing unlikely before October

Published

on

UK watchdog says car finance legal challenge hearing unlikely before October
Britain’s financial watchdog said on Friday a tribunal hearing on ‌legal challenges to its compensation scheme for mis-sold car loans was unlikely before October, and told lenders to prepare for a possibility that the scheme could be scrapped entirely.
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending